Nightengale: Forget 1985, these Royals on verge of their own history

USA TODAY Sports' Bob Nightengale breaks down the Royals' win in Game 6, forcing a decisive Game 7.

Eric Hosmer reacts after hitting a RBI double against the San Francisco Giants in the second inning during game six of the 2014 World Series at Kauffman Stadium.(Photo: Christopher Hanewinckel, USA TODAY Sports)

The Royals jumped all over Giants starter Jake Peavy, scoring seven runs in the second inning, sending him to the showers after recording just four outs, and leaving fans scrambling to find their nearest ticket broker.

This wasn't a game.

It was a validation.

The Royals just aren't going away, turning this World Series into an absolute thrill ride, with enough curves, turns, ups and downs, for another generation to remember.

"It's special,'' Royals manager Ned Yost says. "Secretly, you'd like to win it to it in four or five, but when this started, I was really hoping we'd play seven, for the thrill of it, the experience of it.''

"I've never been so convicted about a game in my life, seriously,'' Yost said. "I've never felt more strongly about us winning a ballgame in my life than I did (Monday) on this game. I don't know why, it's just the confidence I have in these guys.

"I just felt that we were going to win this game, and get to Game 7, and see where that takes us.

"We feel good about our chances.''

It's been a wild ride for these two teams. They had to win an elimination game as a wild-card entrant just to get into this dance. Now, one will be hoisting the World Series championship trophy.

The Royals certainly haven't proven they're not afraid of anyone not named Madison Bumgarner. Considering that he just threw 117 pitches in Game 5, Giants manager Bruce Bochy reiterated, that he will not be starting the game. He likely won't be available to pitch more than two, perhaps three innings of relief.

"He's going to be on two days' rest,'' Bochy said. "He just threw a complete game. You know, this guy is human. I mean, you can't push him that much. He'll be available if we need him, but to start him, I think that's asking a lot.''

If the Giants are going to capture their third World Series title in five years, and win their 10th consecutive postseason series, they'll need a few more pitchers to chip in besides Bumgarner.

While Bumgarner is 2-0 with a 0.56 ERA in his two starts, the rest of the Giants' rotation is 0-3 in this Series with a 9.82 ERA, surrendering 28 baserunners in 14 2/3 innings.

The Giants will be sending out Tim Hudson for the deciding game. The Royals are going with Jeremy Guthrie. It's a rematch of Game 3, when neither pitcher got out of the sixth inning. It will be the oldest Game 7 pitching starting matchup in World Series history, according to ESPN, with Hudson, 39, and Guthrie, 35, combining for 74 years, 14 postseason starts, and two victories.

Mike Moustakas reacts after hitting a solo home run in the seventh inning in Game 6.(Photo: Peter Aiken, Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports)

"This is something that as a kid growing up,'' Hudson says, "you think about it. As a big-league player, you think about it and you often wonder if you are ever going to have the opportunity to do it.

"Sixteen years in the big leagues, I finally have that chance. I mean, I'm really, really excited about it. I can't wait to get out there and have fun.''

It's no different than Guthrie, who says his mind races back to 1991, and Game 7, with the Minnesota Twins.

"My memories of a Game 7 probably go back to Jack Morris, '91,'' Guthrie says. "I remember that game, I was 12 years old. So certainly, could appreciate the effort that he gave, and the magnitude of that game, to be able to pitch like he did and win the World Series.''

Morris pitched 10 shutout innings against the Atlanta Braves in perhaps the greatest pitching performance in World Series history, winning the title for the Minnesota Twins.

The truth is that either manager would settle for five, even four shutout innings in this game. They've each got plenty of rested bullpens, with the Royals' late-inning triumvirate of Kelvin Herrera, Wade Davis and Greg Holland all fresh. Holland, in fact, hasn't pitched in five days.

"All our big guns are fresh,'' Yost says, "and ready to go.''

There really is no prohibitive favorite, considering how evenly matched these two teams have been this Series when Bumgarner's not on the mound, but if history holds true, the Royals could be holding all of the cards.

The last World Series team to win Game 7 on the road was the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates against the Baltimore Orioles.

If you go back to the last 15 times a home team forced a Game 7 in the World Series or the League Championship Series, 14 of them came away with the title.

The only exception was the 2006 New York Mets.

And the Giants have never won a World Series Game 7 in their history, losing in 2002, 1962, 1924 and 1912.

"Tell these guys they are going against the odds,'' Bochy says. "They've done that before. I think a lot of people had us getting beat in the first and second round.

"This clubs is so resilient, so tough. They're so tough. They'll put this behind them.''

The Giants, after all, did win Game 7 of the 2012 National League Championship Series, after being down 3-1 to the St. Louis Cardinals.

"It's nice to know that you've done it,'' Bochy says. "You've come back against the odds, and you can do it again.''

Yet, with the way the Royals clobbered the Giants, with Peavy recording the second-shortest postseason outing from a Giants starter in 90 years, the Royals believe this is '85 all over again.

"I loved the clubhouse today,'' Royals left fielder Alex Gordon said. "Came in, and it felt like a regular-season game. I was really proud of how we handled ourselves.

"With all of this, the cameras, everyone watching, only us playing ...

"Obviously there's going to be some emotions and ups and downs, but we've handled ourselves great.''

Certainly, the suspense of this Series is terrific, but there sure have been some ugly games, with five of the six games decided by five or more runs.

This one was another clunker, resurrecting memories of 2001 when the Arizona Diamondbacks returned home to beat the New York Yankees, 15-2, in Game 6, and winning Game 7 off closer Mariano Rivera, 3-2.

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Astros 5, Dodgers 1: George Springer set a World Series record by homering in four straight games, leading the Astros to their first championship in franchise history. Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAY Sport

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Royals starter Yordano Ventura suffocated the Giants' lineup, pitching seven shutout innings, and yielding just three hits, Peavy gave up six hits to the 11 batters he faced, hiking his career World Series ERA to 12.00 with a .400 batting average.

"Awesome, I mean, I don't really know what to say,'' Yost says. "You've got a 23-year-old kid pitching the biggest game that this stadium has seen in 29 years, with our backs against the wall, and he goes out there in complete command of his emotions with great stuff.''

The game was really over by the second inning, making it quite easy for Ventura, but the sellout crowd of 40,372 refused to leave, wanting to savor every last bit of the rout.

Hey, when you've been waiting 29 years for a playoff berth, who can blame them for wanting to clear their throats in anticipation of Game 7.

"Everybody here is stoked, ready to go,'' says Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas, one of 13 players born before the Royals' last championship. "We're playing in the World Series. It's going to Game 7. It's going to be awesome.''

Says Giants first baseman Brandon Belt, who certainly contributed to the blowout with his fielding woes in the second inning: "I wish we could have ended it in Game 4, but we didn't, so we're here in Game 7. It's a fun series. I think right now you cannot predict what's going to happen.

"We feel real confident we can come out here and get a win.''

But these are the Royals, and while they may be young and experienced, with only 12 players alive when the Royals last won the championship, they believe.

This is their time.

"This is the last game of the year,'' says Royals starter James Shields, who twice lost to Bumgarner, and will be available in the bullpen. "We made it to the last game of the year. Our whole team's been working so hard all season, and to get to where we are is pretty special.

Game 4 in San Francisco -- Giants 11, Royals 4: Giants center fielder Gregor Blanco celebrates with first baseman Brandon Belt after scoring a run in the first inning. Christopher Hanewinckel, USA TODAY Sports

Game 3 in San Francisco - Royals 3, Giants 2: Giants right fielder Hunter Pence beats the throw to Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer for an infield single in the second inning. Kyle Terada, USA TODAY Sports

Game 3 in San Francisco - Royals 3, Giants 2: Late Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn was honored before the game. His family stood on the infield as a tribute was played on the center-field video board. Kyle Terada, USA TODAY Sports

Game 2 in Kansas City -- Royals 7, Giants 2:Giants first baseman Brandon Belt is tagged out by Royals second baseman Omar Infante for a double play in the fourth inning. Christopher Hanewinckel, USA TODAY Sports

Game 2 in Kansas City -- Royals 7, Giants 2:Royals shortstop Alcides Escobar is tagged out on a stolen base attempt by Giants second baseman Joe Panik in the first inning. Christopher Hanewinckel, USA TODAY Sports

Game 2 in Kansas City -- Royals 7, Giants 2:Royals starting pitcher Yordano Ventura reacts after giving up a solo home run to Giants center fielder Gregor Blanco in the first inning. Christopher Hanewinckel, USA TODAY Sports

Both the Giants and Royals met the media before their workouts on Monday, a day before Game 1 of the World Series. Here are some candid photos of the day: Pablo Sandoval is all smiles as he answers questions. Christopher Hanewinckel, USA TODAY Sports